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Friday, June 16, 2017

During my second deployment in the Navy working a
security detail, a FNG walked up and asked me where he could find a “bulkhead
remover”?Being completely serious, I
explained that my department was out but I was sure the Damage Control (DC) department
had some.The DC department was located
10 floors down and on the opposite end of the ship.

Camp at Moose Lake

In the Navy a “bulkhead” is another
name for a wall.Of course, this was the game that was played
on each of us at some point during our early days on a ship and it was my duty
to keep him on his quest.

Changing the spools on 8-10 weights for the afternoon sessions

View of the lake from camp

Bald Eagles were a daily seen. Often flying right over my kayak.

As painful as it is to admit, I’ve been fooled by another
wild goose chase. This time, chasing
unicorns.The elusive and cunning muskie,
a fish of 10,000 casts.I would like to
believe they exist but I don’t know anyone that’s caught one.In fact, I’ve never actually seen one in the
water.Sure, I’ve seen the pictures on
Facebook and other social media sites.I’ve
stood in awe of the impressive wall mounts hanging from fly shops and tackle
stores.

St Croix River smallie

I’m convinced it’s a ruse to protect the trophy smallmouth fisheries.More than likely, it’s purely entertainment
purposes.Like that time your father
stuck you in a field to hunt snipe.Imagine the joy those in the know get from watching you walk into a
fly shop and ask for the musky area.They point over to that one obscure corner of the room that seems completely
out of place.Traditional flies are
created to match the hatch.They appear
more natural and resemble what you would find on the water. In contrast, the muskie
section looks like it belongs in a store off Bourbon Street.

Hanging from the ceiling and every nook are huge streamers made
of the most obnoxious colors available. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you
can purchase your own bright and shiny materials to create your own modern
art. A far cry from matching the hatch
and one I think has a more direct purpose, aside from the in-store humor of
course!

On the water, you’ll be the star of the show, clearly seen from
a mile away punishing yourself while you wrestle a foot-long fly over your head
with a 10 weight.Over 4 days, I never
saw another person throwing those huge Vegas Showgirl streamers.I did run into several boats that asked me
if the muskie were biting in a manner
that suggested they already knew the answer.Almost like I was on the outside of an inside joke.That
moment stuck with me.Eventually, I figured
out the joke. It’s a myth created by
anglers purely for entertainment purposes.

Upper Mississippi River

High's in the 90's and lows in the 50's made for foggy mornings

If you ever find yourself on the water and you see a guy
slinging a chicken that appears to have just participated in "The Color Run", do your part and be sure to continue the
tradition.When he asks, “if the muskie
are biting”, show him a picture of a 52 incher, tell him
it was taken just a few days ago and explain that the best area is over there while pointing to the other side of the lake.At least a two-mile paddle away. Once you’ve figured out the game it’s your responsibility
to help others on their path to enlightenment.

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The boring stuff

I'm a modern dad (stay-at-home) who's dedicated to introducing my family to the outdoors, traveling, exploring, and obviously fish'n. Most adventures happen in Arkansas or Louisiana but I'm always look'n for that next cool location. I live an active lifestyle, paddling, swimming, running (marathons/half's/etc), camping, and other random stuff. I created this blog to share my experiences with people who have similar interests. Hope you find something worth reading, enjoy!